Gor dump US Bitam in Gabon as Leopards devour Defence in Addis
PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU Gor Mahia's Ugandan forward Dan Sserunkuma (right) challenges Edwin Nguema of Union Sportive de Bitam during their African Champions League first leg match at Nyayo Stadium on February 8, 2014. Gor eliminated Bitam away on post-match penalties February 16, 2014.
What you need to know:
- Wanga on the double to put Ingwe through to the next round
- Leopards emphatically beat Ethiopian club Defence 4-1 on aggregate following their 2-1 win in the return leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round at the Ato Emmanuel Stadium in Addis Ababa.
- Gor had endured a tiring 16-hour flight that saw them connect through three cities, Kigali, Kinshasa and Libreville, before arriving in Bitam, a town located on the Gabon-Cameroon border.
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards on Sunday sailed through to the next round of their respective continental assignments in contrasting fashion.
Leopards emphatically beat Ethiopian club Defence 4-1 on aggregate following their 2-1 win in the return leg of their CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round at the Ato Emmanuel Stadium in Addis Ababa.
Kenya international Allan Wanga, who missed the first leg with injury, loudly announced his return by notching both goals in the second half to reply to, with interest, Micheal Desseta first half goal for the hosts.
In Gabon, brave Gor, against huge odds, beat US Bitam 4-2 on post-match penalties to qualify for the first round of the Champions League after the home team had won 1-0 to tie the round 1-1 in regulation time.
Rama Salim, Harrison Sakava, Geoffrey Walusimbi and Innocent Mutiso put their penalties in for Gor.
But Jerim Onyango was the hero of battling K’Ogalo, saving four penalties, two in the decisive post-match spot-kicks and two in regulation time. The host team had taken the lead in the second half through Henry Joel Eyame but just couldn’t find a way past custodian Onyango for the important second goal.
Gor defender David Owino was sent-off for questioning the match referee’s decisions in the 85th minute, but the Kenyan champions gamely battled on to force the game into penalties.
Gor Mahia team manager Frank Ouma was also given a red card during the match for arguing with the fourth official.
16-HOUR FLIGHT
“I feel great. Very, very great. This is the best ever football match I’ve ever watched. These boys have done the country proud,” Gor chairman Ambrose Rachier told Daily Nation Sport on phone from Bitam.
Gor had endured a tiring 16-hour flight that saw them connect through three cities, Kigali, Kinshasa and Libreville, before arriving in Bitam, a town located on the Gabon-Cameroon border.
In Addis Ababa, Leopards coach James Nandwa adopted a slightly defensive formation for this contest, drafting in Musa Mudde to anchor the midfield alongside Martin Imbalambala, with Augustine Etemesi also squeezing into a five-man centre pack, that also had Peter Opiyo and Jacob Keli. Wanga remained the lone striker upfront.
This tactic denied the hosts the much needed space but after relentless pressure they managed to go ahead seven minutes to the break through an expertly taken free kick from Desseta that gave Leopard’s custodian Wycliffe Kasaya no chance.
Wanga then took over by turning the game round with strikes in the 46th and 89th minutes to silence the partisan home crowd and send the handful of travelling Leopards supporters into celebration.
Richard Ekhalie: “We knew we are going to advance after the first leg result. I must thank the technical bench who recruited very well, you can see we won without Wanga in the first leg and Were for the return match. We are now gunning for this tie against SuperSport United.” Leopards will face SuperSport on February 28.
The ‘Matsatsantsa’, as the South African club are fondly referred to down south, booked the Leopards’ date by securing a 1-0 score away to Botswana club Gaborone United, in their second leg clash played at the National Stadium in the country’s capital, Gaborone, and a 3-0 aggregate score.
In the rest of Africa, Nigerian side Kano Pillars made an unexpectedly early exit from the Caf Champions League this weekend despite a 2-1 win over Democratic Republic of Congo visitors Vita.
The Kinshasa club, who won the competition 41 years ago, advanced 4-3 on aggregate.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RESULTS
Komorozine (COM) 2 Young Africans (TAN) 5, Young Africans win 12-2 on aggregate; Real Bamako (MLI) 1 FAR Rabat (MAR) 1, Real win on away goals after 3-3 tie; US Bitam (GAB)1 Gor Mahia 0 (KEN), Gor Mahia win 4-2 penalties after 1-1 tie.
Diamond Stars (SLE) 1, Raja Casablanca (MAR) 2, Raja win 8-1; Flambeau l’Est (BDI) 1 Diables Noirs (CGO) 1, Flambeau win 2-1; ASFA Yennenga (BUR) 1 Diambars (SEN) 0, Yennenga win 4-2 on penalties after 1-1 tie; Rayon Sports (RWA) 2 AC Leopards (CGO) 2,
Leopards win on away goals after 2-2 tie.
Black Africa (NAM) 1 Kaizer Chiefs (RSA) 1, Chiefs win 4-1; Kano Pillars (NGR) 2 Vita (COD) 1 (Agiti 1), Vita win 4-3; Cote d’Or (SEY) 1 Kabuscorp (ANG) 2, Kabuscorp win 7-1; Nkana (ZAM) 5 Mbabane Swallows (SWZ) 2, Nkana win 5-4; KCCA (UGA) 1 El-Merrikh (SUD) 2, KCCA win 3-2.
